BACKGROUND

Modern gas chromatography (GC) was invented by Martin and James in 1952 , and has become one
of the most important and widely applied analytical techniques in modern chemistry. Major
milestones in the development of GC, especially in column technology, detection and sample
introduction are described in this historical review.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165993602008063).
Griffin and George (London, UK) probably manufactured the first commercial GC system in 1954,
and several companies, including Perkin Elmer, Fisher/Gulf, Barber Coleman, Podbelniak (all U.S.based) and Pye Unicam (UK), followed shortly in 1955 and 1956.
(http://www.chromatographyonline.com/lcgc/Articles/A-History-of-GasChromatography/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/657484)
Many trends in current progress can be seen to originate in the first two decades of the history of
GC, but the invention of fused-silica capillary columns greatly increased the application of highresolution GC across the field of organic analysis; the development of low-cost, bench-top mass
spectrometers led to further advances. Progress continues to be rapid in comprehensive 2D GC, fast
analysis, detection by atomic emission and time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and in applications to
process analysis.First used in the early 1900s chromatography got its name because it was used to
separate different mixtures of coloured compounds.By the 1930s the popularity of chromatography
had increases chemists realized that this experimental technique could also be used to separate
mixtures of colourless compounds.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165993602008063).

THEORY
Chromatographic analysis is used to separate complex mixtures of compounds. GC is also a
frequently used technique in many environmental and forensic laboratories because it allows for the
detection of very small quantities. A broad variety of samples can be analyzed as long as the
compounds are sufficiently thermally stable and volatile.
All chromatographic systems have two phases,mobile phase and a stationary phase.The mobile
phase (=carrier gas) is comprised of an inert gas i.e., helium, argon, or nitrogen. The stationary
phase consists of a packed column where the packing or solid support itself acts as stationary phase,
or is coated with the liquid stationary phase (=high boiling polymer). Most analytical gas
chromatographs use capillary columns, where the stationary phase coats the walls of a smalldiameter tube directly (i.e., 0.25 m film in a 0.32 mm tube).
The separation of compounds is based on the different strengths of interaction of the compounds
with the stationary phase (like-dissolves-like-rule). The stronger the interaction is, the longer the
compound interacts with the stationary phase, and the more time it takes to migrate through the
column (=longer retention time). In the example above, compound X interacts stronger with the
stationary phase, and therefore lacks behind compound O in its movement through the column. As a
result, compound O has a much shorter retention time than compound X.
As the sample in the mobile phase passes throught the stationary phase,the compounds in the
mixture will separate because of differences in their affinities for the stationary phase,and
differences in their solubilities in the mobile phase.
In chromatographic analysis,the eluted compounds are characterized by retention
times,t.Qualitative analysis involves determinatin of t of analytesand comparing them with t of
standards.Quantitative analysis is accomplished by comparing the areas of the analyte peaks with
those of standards.The separation of compounds is based on the different strengths of interaction of
the compounds with the stationary phase (like-dissolves-like-rule). The stronger the interaction is,
the longer the compound interacts with the stationary phase, and the more time it takes to migrate
through the column (=longer retention time). In the example above, compound X interacts stronger
with the stationary phase, and therefore lacks behind compound O in its movement through the
column. As a result, compound O has a much shorter retention time than compound X.
Factor that influence the separation of the components.
Boiling point
The boiling point of a compound is often related to its polarity (see also polarity chapter).
The lower the boiling point is, the shorter retention time usually is because the compound
will spent more time in the gas phase.
The polarityof components versus the polarity of stationary phase on column.
If the polarity of the stationary phase and compound are similar, the retention time increases
because the compound interacts stronger with the stationary phase. As a result, polar
compounds have long retention times on polar stationary phases and shorter retention times
on non-polar columns using the same temperature.

 Column temperature
A excessively high column temperature results in very short retention time but also in a very
poor separation because all components mainly stay in the gas phase.
Column length
A longer column generally improves the separation. The trade-off is that the retention time
increases proportionally to the column length and a significant peak broadening will be
observed as well because of increased longitudinal diffusion inside the column.
(http://www.chromatographyonline.com/lcgc/Articles/A-History-of-GasChromatography/ArticleStandard/Article/ )